Ranjit Thakur/Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, Apr 14: Post abrogation of Article 370, when the first-ever District Development Council (DDC) polls were conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in December 2020, Mehraj Malik, then 32 years old, contested and won as an Independent Councillor from remote Kahara Constituency of district Doda.
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Upon his feat, Jubilant Malik received accolades from one and all as he surprised many political figures of his district and UT alike, securing 6,535 votes against the 3,024 votes polled by his arch-rival, the Congress candidate.
Malik yet again surprised the people of Udhampur Parliamentary constituency when he announced to contest the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent candidate. He is now among the 12 candidates trying their luck in the Udhampur seat. Excelsior correspondents spoke with Malik to understand why he chose to contest the Parliamentary Polls.
Here are the excerpts from the interview:
Excelsior: How is your preparation and canvassing going on?
Mehraj Malik: Things are going well and in order. But there is a difference between a DDC Constituency and a Parliamentary seat. As a District Development Councillor, I have tried my best to serve my people, and I am hopeful that the people of Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency will judge me based on my work and repose faith in my leadership to give me another opportunity to serve them as their MP. I strongly believe that for several decades, the country’s politics has not changed, as political leaders continue to make fortunes while the voters suffer. I want to change this system by empowering the voter. This is the only reason I have decided to contest LS polls. Let’s see what happens next.
Excelsior: What are the key issues in your constituency, which is by-and-large remote?
Mehraj Malik: Our country has been witnessing a disturbing trend in politics these days. Leaders have been trying to impress their voters using religion as a plank. It should not happen. It’s not good for the health of a democracy. A leader’s job is to ensure that his/her area of representation gets proper schools, roads, hospitals, water, power, and a corruption-free system. I believe that leaders must focus on public welfare only and not on religion to get votes. For me, the welfare of the public will remain the only issue. As far as the Udhampur constituency is concerned, if the elected leaders there had focused on public welfare, they could have made our UT power surplus by now by tapping the huge hydropower potential of the region. But that has not been done so far. People have to understand that all the elected leaders have fooled us in one way or another. So voting should be purely based on merit. And I will contest on merit only to provide proper education, health, and a corruption-free system to my people.
Excelsior: Whether you have done enough as a DDC Councillor to project your candidature for LS Polls?
Mehraj Malik: As far as my achievements as a DDC Councillor are concerned, I think I have done enough for my people, and I am strongly hopeful that they will reciprocate by voting in my favor. But since I have discussed with you earlier that the reach of a District Development Councillor is limited to his area and District only, he/she cannot touch the UT level or the national issues. He/she gets only Rs 70 lakh for the development of his constituency. Contrary to this, an MP gets huge LAD funds for the development of his Constituency. In addition to this, his/her voice is heard by people across the country. That’s where the difference lies. If I have to raise the issues of casual laborers hitting the roads, youth taking drugs due to rising unemployment in the country, I need a larger platform, and that’s the Parliament of the Country only. I am hopeful that I’ll get an opportunity this time to represent my people in the Parliament.
Excelsior: What’s your stance on the restoration of Statehood and holding of Assembly Polls in Jammu and Kashmir?
Mehraj Malik: Restoration of Statehood is one of the key issues I have been contesting the elections for. Only Statehood can guarantee that our issues are addressed within the UT and in the Parliament.
Excelsior: What has been the impact of Delimitation on the profile of Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency?
Mehraj Malik: Frankly speaking, Delimitation has always been used as a tool by successive political parties to further their agendas to garner the vote bank and the support of particular people. Like in Kishtwar District, the Delimitation Commission has put some of the villages of Kishtwar in Paddar area to benefit a particular leader. This should not be done. Delimitation should be done purely keeping in mind the aspirations and the needs of the people of the particular areas. Leaders should work for the development of all the communities rather than benefiting their voters only.
Excelsior: How many votes do you expect from a Constituency that has almost 17 lakh voters, and what would be your priority post-winning the elections?
Mehraj Malik: The poor and the downtrodden sections of society, which have always been ignored by successive political leaders, should support Mehraj Malik by voting him a number that is enough to elect him to the Parliament. In my election, they’ll get an honest and upright candidate in the Parliament, who will speak for their good. People should understand that this is also an opportunity for them to elect a leader who has performed as a District Development Councillor. I will keep their morale high in the Parliament by addressing their regional issues as well as the issues of national importance.
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